Sound Angst

[Kierkegaard]

I have been having a sound problem for a few weeks now. Here it is in a nutshell.

I start Windows 98, everything works fine, the sound is o.k. Then the next time I start it up (after properly shutting down) the sound dosent work. When the p.c. is in this state I have checked the drivers for a conflict, and found none. Also when I try o play a sound file, the vumeter bar moves up then freezes ( this is on Volume Control.)

Then if I shut down the p.c. and start it again the sound works fine.

The sound seems to stop working every other time I start windows. Also I have noticed that windows takes a lot longer to load when the sound isnt working.

I have checked everything I can think of, and I do have the latest sound drivers. I cant understand what can be happening to my p.c. to make it work, then not work, then work again.

Here is my specs:
450 mhz PIII, 96 ram, 8gb hd, pci sound card.

Any ideas anyone ? Im getting fed up loading windows twice for sound.

[jrvarga]

It might be an IRQ problem. I can not explain why it happens every other time, but the sound will usually stop when something esle is conflicting with the IRQ.

When it doesn't work...
Richt-click My Computer, select properties, go to Device manager, double click computer at the top of the list to see all the IRQs. Make sure there are no conflicts showing.

Joe

[Kierkegaard]

I have checked IRQ settings, and there are no conflicts. I have noticed that my fast shutdown option was disabled, I am going to try enabling it, and then restarting. However I intend to be online for a while so I wont be shutting down.

[Kierkegaard]

The above fix didnt work, in fact I got no sound at all until I disabled Fast Shutdown. Now I`m back with the same problem. Any other ideas ?

[Kierkegaard]

I`m still having this problem, and cant find out whats causing it. Any ideas please ?

[reboot]

Didn't I answer this (and your PCI steering question) somewhere else?
Anyhow, just go to device mangler, System devices, PCI bus, IRQ steering, and disable it. You should then get your sound back.
PCI steering allow multiple devices to share resources.

[RJ]

Hello Kierkegaard,

please tell us which mainboard you have, and which devices you placed into which slot.
Well, also you could tell us the brand name of the sound card.

It might be a problem with irq sharing or bus mastering. Some pci slots use the same busmaster signals, then you don't can use one card which needs busmaster in a slot that has no busmaster, maybe because of another pci slot etc., blah blah blah. . . and the same with irq sharing. If the card isn't capable of irq sharing, then problems could happen, etc.
Well, therefore please tell us which cards are placed where.

RJ

[Kierkegaard]

Ok I disabled the PCI steering, which has now solved the sound problem, but it has caused a irq conflict between my sound card and my printer port, I am still tweaking the system so that it works. But basically it is better. Thanks.